All there is to sip and savor in New Orleans

What To Drink on Valentine’s Day

Treat yourself! Valentine’s Day is not the time to appear cheap.

Tim McNally

MarcoMaru, morguefile.com, 2009

Claudius had a problem. His desire to maintain a large and strong army was not working out, and he blamed the situation on the young population’s penchant for romance and marriage. Enlisting in the army was patriotic and noble, and all that, but the love of a wonderful woman was better.

Claudius, being the Roman Emperor, had certain dictatorial advantages available to him. It also did not hurt that he honestly earned the nickname, The Cruel. So, CTC banned marriage and engagements throughout the land.

A certain Christian priest, Valentinius, who enjoyed performing marriages and arranging romantic relationships, thought the new decree unjust. He decided to speak against Claudius II. Claudius, for his part, did not take kindly to having his decrees questioned by a Christian cleric, and remanded Valentinius to a proper beating, then torture, and then the old standby, beheading.

It is likely not true that Valentinius wrote his jailers a mash note and signed it, “From Your Valentine.” But that makes for a good story. It is also recorded somewhere at some point that the last act of this tragedy took place around February 14. Or as the Romans referred to it, the Feast of Lupercalia, Februarius XIV.

And this occurred in that wonderful year of 270.

From this tale of love, or a fanciful legend, you can see how we made the logical leap to flowers, jewelry, dining out, greeting cards, and long, loving glances over candlelight. You can see that, can’t you?

What I do know for a fact, as a guy and a husband, is that I had better not allow Valentinius’ Feast Day to slide by without an acknowledgement of my love for my wonderful wife. In our house, such acknowledgements are usually punctuated by fine dinners and good drinks. It’s a tradition I easily live with.

I’m going to leave the dining suggestions up to my friends here at myneworleans.com, Robert Peyton and Jay Foreman, who specialize in such experiences and whose knowledge is far beyond my understanding and appreciation of special restaurant offerings.

As for beverages, yes, thank you, I’ll step up.

Sparkling wine and Champagne are always appropriate. Always. Trust me on this one. If you and your honey are regular sparkling wine lovers, then move up to Champagne and on this day make it rosé. The real deal is just that, very real. Unfortunately it’s no deal. Prepare to spend some money on the good stuff. Minimum $45 a bottle. You can go pricier, but likely not lower.

Sparkling wine can come from America, Spain (Cava), France (Crémant), Italy (Prosecco), or any wine producing region in any country. Just remember that there is an absolute relationship between price and quality. Valentine’s Day is not a time when you should appear cheap. The message in that action will not take you where you likely want to go.

I am also a pretty big fan on this, or any day, of a good pinot noir. Pinot noir is very romantic with its garnet color and soft fruit notes. Pairs with lots of cuisines and the final floral aromas and strawberry tastes will have you reaching for another glass.

In America, good pinot noir comes from Russian River in Sonoma County, California; Santa Barbara, California; Willamette Valley, Oregon; and the Carneros region at the southern end of both Sonoma and Napa Counties.

In France, the prime red grape of Burgundy is pinot noir and wines labeled Cotes de Nuit are the way to go. Again, be prepared to shell out a few bucks but the rewards will, hopefully, be worth the cost.

You white wine fans should revel in Sauvignon Blanc, notably those wines from Sonoma County, Oregon, South Africa, New Zealand, or Washington State. These wines will likely be the least expensive alternative I have noted so far.

If you want to make Valentine’s a day of new discoveries, head to Spain and try Albariño, or its sister vine in Portugal, Alvarinho. Maybe a Vermentino from Italy, or a Muscadet Sevre et Maine from the western edge of the Loire Valley in France. All wines, particularly the last one, are excellent with oysters. You’re welcome.

Then again, maybe you want to make an impression by showing your deft touch with cocktails. Here are a couple that should get the evening moving in the right direction. No guarantees but I think so.

1 oz (25ml) Hendrick’s Gin (Note: Hendrick’s should be infused with rose petals, adding another rose-centric layer to this cocktail)

4-6 fresh raspberries

1 oz (25ml) lychee juice

½ oz (15ml) organic raspberry and rose cordial

Champagne

Shake it all then double strain into a flute. Top up with Champagne. Garnish with a raspberry.

Rosé et Reims

A winking reference to the largest city in the Champagne region of France. Let me also mention here that the pronunciation of Jouët, is joo-ET. Same with Moët, pronounced mw-ET. Both families who founded those Champagne houses were originally Dutch going back along the family tree. So don’t be tempted to Frenchify the northern European family name by softening the final “t.”

2 oz. Lillet Rosé

4 oz. Perrier Jouët Champagne

Brut Grapefruit bitters

Orange twist

Serve in a Champagne flute. First, add four dashes of grapefruit bitters to Champagne flute. Add Lillet Rosé, top with Champagne. Garnish with long orange twist.

Cozy at Home

Hey, it could happen.

30 ml Belvedere Vodka

30 ml peach puree

Top Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label

Combine Belvedere and peach puree in a tin and shake with ice. Fine strain into a chilled flute and top with Veuve Clicquot.

Girls Night

Could work out just fine.

30 ml Belvedere Pink Grapefruit

20 ml Aperol

Top Chandon Brut Sparkling Wine

Combine Belvedere and Aperol in a wine glass over ice and gentle stir. Top with Chandon. Garnish with a pink grapefruit twist.

Guys Night

Ditto.

50 ml Belvedere Unfiltered

1 large black olive

Pour Belvedere Unfiltered over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a large black olive.

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All there is to sip and savor in New Orleans

about

In New Orleans, when the subject is wine and spirits, it is very difficult to leave Tim McNally out of the discussion. He is considered one of the “go to” resources in the Crescent City for counsel and information about adult beverages and their place in the fabric of life in this great city.

Tim is the Wine and Spirits Editor, columnist and feature writer for New Orleans Magazine; the Wine and Spirits Editor and weekly columnist, Happy Hour, for www.MyNewOrleans.com; the Executive Editor and monthly features writer for Gulf Coast Wine + Dine Online; creator and editor of his own website, www.winetalknola.com; all in addition to his daily hosting duties on the radio program, The Dine, Wine and Spirits Show, on the air at WGSO – 990AM, every weekday, 3- 5 p.m, and streamed live on www.wgso.com.

Over the years, Tim has proved to be an informed interviewer, putting his guests at ease, and covering tactile and technical information so that even a novice can understand difficult agricultural and production concepts. Tim speaks with winemakers, wine and spirit ambassadors, distillers, authors, people who stage events and festivals, and takes questions from listeners and readers, all seamlessly blended together in a program that is unique in America.

Tim’s love of wine actually came about many years ago from his then wife-to-be, Brenda Maitland, a noted journalist in her own right, and together they have traveled to the major wine producing areas in the US and Europe, seeking first-hand information about beverages that give us all so much pleasure.

They were instrumental in the founding of the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience, a major national and international well-regarded festival of its type. They both continue to be involved with the planning and staging of this multi-venue, five-day event now over twenty years old.

Tim is also considered one of the foremost professional wine judges in the US, being invited to judge more than 11 wine competitions each year, including the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (the largest competition of American wines in the world, with more than 6,000 entries), the Riverside, CA International Wine Competition, San Francisco International Wine Competition, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, Indiana International Wine Competition, Sandestin, Florida Wine Festival Competition, the State of Michigan Wine Competition, the U.S. National Wine Competition, and the National Wine Competition of Portugal.

Tim is a guest lecturer to many local wine and dine organizations, and speaks each year to the senior class in the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.

Staying abreast of the news of the wine and spirits world is a passion for Tim, and he is committed to sharing what he knows with his listeners and readers. “Doing something I love, with products that I truly enjoy, created by interesting people, coupling the experience with culinary excellence, and doing it all in the greatest city in America,” are the words Tim lives by.